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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. spell — a short time
  8. court — for sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — a safe
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. court — of law
  24. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com